Bad For B

How bad are things for the Obama cabal? The recovery appears to be stalled, with many economists expecting a prolonged malaise to set in.

The problem for Obama and Dems: While they need to argue that their policies are responsible for stabilizing the economy and putting us on the road to recovery, how do they do this without seeming out of touch with the reality on the ground? How do they do this without making it tougher to point to how awful things are in order to spur Congress to act?

How bad are things for the Democrats? The president is supported by just 38% of independents. And the majority of voters view the President as a socialist.

Thirty-eight percent of independents approve of the job Barack Obama is doing as president, the first time independent approval of Obama has dropped below 40% in a Gallup Daily tracking weekly aggregate.
Meanwhile, Obama maintains the support of 81% of Democrats, and his job approval among Republicans remains low, at 12%.

How bad are things for the president? His press secretary is lowering expectations for the fall elections.

Gibbs said retaining House control would depend on strong campaigns by Democrats. "I think we have to take the issues to them," he said, adding that the primary argument would be how Republicans would govern as the majority party.

Saying that our problems are the fault of W. doesn't sound like taking the issues to the GOP. The Dems were hired to fix things, and Americans know they've made moves that have worsened the economy.

Ivan Seidenberg, chief executive of Verizon Communications Inc., in a speech last month, said White House regulatory policies were discouraging job growth and creating an anti- business climate.
“By reaching into virtually every sector of economic life, government is injecting uncertainty into the marketplace, and making it harder to raise capital and create new businesses,” Seidenberg said, according to a tape played by ABC.